Dispensing container for tablets and the like



Sept. 29, 1953 R. E. AGGSON DISPENSING CONTAINER FOR TABLETS AND THE LIKE Filed May 24, 1950 7 m m, m 0. W f l I n A F 3 o IY 5 W. 9 0 5 0. E al.. A E l l 3 J.. m i E b Wn J o m m Y R m E aesavoe the pocket I4, the magazine groove I2 is provided with forwardly and upwardly slanting bottom sections I5 for checking forward sliding of the row of tablets I3 in said groove when the box I is tilted forwardly and downwardly for a purpose presently seen. The bottom of the bottom section 2 is formed at opposite sides of the magazine groove I2 with a pair of longitudinal ledges I6 for containing tablets I3 in a row to replenish the magazine groove I2, and which slant laterally downwardly from said groove I2 to check sliding of the tablets I3 on said ledges off the same and into the magazine groove I2 during the dispensing operation presently described. Stop lugs I'I bent up from the ledges I6 prevent the tablets I3 on said ledges I6 from sliding into the pocket I4. Similar stop lugs I8 depending from the cover 4 over the ledges I8 prevent the tablets I3 on said ledges from jumping over the lugs I'I into the pocket I4 when the cover 4 is tilted and the box I shaken in the dispensing operation.

A tablet elevator member I9 is provided on the cover 4 in vertical alignment with the pocket I4 and opposite the dispensing opening 9. The tablet elevator member I9 is rectangular, with sides 20 and a rear end wall 2I suitably fixed to said cover 4, an open front end opposite the dispensing opening 9 for passage of tablets out of said member I9 through said opening 9, a fiat bottom 23 seating on the bottom of the pocket I4 when the cover 4 is in normal position, as shown in Figure 4, and a slot 25 in the rear end wall 2I opposite the leading tablet I3 in the magazine groove I2, when the cover 4 is in normal position, and providing for passage of said leading tablet out of the magazine groove I2 into the elevator member I9 for seating on the bottom 23 of said member below said slot.

A guard plate 26 in the bottom section 2 suitably fixed to the wall 3 to extend across said section above the magazine groove I2 and ledges I5 provides for maintaining the tablets I3 flatwise in said groove I2 and on said ledges I6 for a suitable distance in the rear of the elevator member I9. The primary function of the guard plate Z is to prevent the tablets I3 immediately in the rear of the pocket I4 from standing on edge and jamming in the box I. The guard plate 25 is spaced forwardly of the rear end of the bottom section 2 sufficiently to permit tablets I3 on the ledges I6 to be jarred off said ledges into the magazine groove I2 to replenish said groove. An upturned rear edge flange 21 on the guard plate 26 prevents tablets I3 from finding their way on top of said plate when the box I is shaken, or when the box is being carried in the pocket.

Referring now to the operation of the described invention, with a row of tablets I3 in the magazine groove I2, a row of tablets I3 on each ledge I, and a tablet disposed in the elevator member I9, the box I is loaded to capacity. As long as the cover 4 is maintained in normal position, the tablets I3 are enclosed and protected. To dispense the tablet I3 in the elevator member I9, the cover 4 is tilted, in the manner described, to uncover the dispensing opening I9 and elevate the tablet for dispensing out of said opening. By tilting the box I, front end downwardly, the tablet I3 in the elevator member I9 will be caused to slide, under the influence of gravity, out of said dispensing opening 9. The elevator member I9 may then be reloaded by swinging the cover 4 downwardly into normal position, as shown in Figure 4, tilting the box downwardly and forwardly and shaking the same slightly to cause the leading tablet I3 in the magazine groove I2 to slide through the slot 25 into the elevator member I9. The reloading tablet I3 may then be dispensed like the first tablet, and the elevator member I9 reloaded and the reloading tablet dispensed, as desired, until the supply of tablets I3 in the magazine groove I2 is exhausted. The magazine groove I2 may be replenished from the ledges I6 by tilting the box I rear end lowermost and shaking the box sidewise to displace tablets off said ledges into said groove.

The elevator member I9, it will be noted, when the same is lowered into the pocket I4, blocks, by means of its rear end wall 2I, escape of tablets I3 out of said member back into the magazine groove I2. Also, when the elevator member is elevated, the rear end wall 2| thereof blocks escape of tablets I3 out of the magazine groove I2 into the pocket I4. The forwardly and upwardly inclined sections I5 tend to check forward sliding of the tablets I3 in the magazine groove I2 during elevation of the elevator member I9 and during the dispensing operation and hence reduce abrasive action of the tablets I9 against each other tending to form powder in the box I and reduce the eiiciency of the tablets. As will be noted, the elevator member I9 forms a front trap for` the foremost tablet I3 and the inclined sections I5 are joined by a stop wall I5 perpendicular thereto which, together with the inclined section I5 next to the pocket I4, forms another trap blocking backward movement of tablets I3. rI'he rearmost inclined section t0- gether with the replenishing ledges I6 form a rear tablet trap so as to prevent backward movement of tablets I3 onto said ledges. Thus, almost any movement of the dispensing container, shaking, tipping forwardly, turning when carried in the pocket, or done by hand, tends to cause tablets in the magazine groove I2 to move forwardly so that a tablet I3 is substantially always disposed in the elevator member I9 ready for dispensing. The cover 4 being pivoted off center adjacent its rear end provides, by slight movement of its rear end, for quick, easy opening at its forward end with a 'snap action. The nubs 6, I snap apart easily, making it easy to detach the cover for reloading of the container I. As will be manifest, the container I is substantially a two-piece structure, inexpensive to manufacture and adapted to sell in the low-priced field. The cover 4 may be removed, in a manner which will be clear, for refilling the box I when empty.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A tablet dispensing container having a dispensing end for discharging tablets by gravity when the container is tilted by hand to lower said end, said container comprising a bottom section having a surrounding wall, a cover section having a surrounding flange fitting over said wall, means pivotally connecting said flange to said wall for tilting of said cover section on said wall in opposite directions, respectively, into open and closed positions, said flange having a tablet discharge opening therein at said dispensing end of the container yclosed by said wall upon tilting of said cover section into closed position and opened by tilting of the cover section into open position, and a tablet elevating platform spaced from and secured to said cover section adjacent said opening for movement inwardly and outwardly of the bottom section by tilting of said cover section into closed and open positions to pick up and lift a tablet out of said bottom section for discharge through said opening, said platform having a rear opening spaced above its bottom for passing a tablet in said bottom section on to the platform and to prevent rearward movement of the tablets off said platform and also having a front opening in line with the discharge opening for passing the tablet off the platform to the discharge opening, said bottom section having a pocket in its bottom seating the platform when the cover section is closed to position said rear opening for passing the tablets therethrough onto the platform.

2. A tablet dispensing container according to claim 1 including a longitudinal magazine groove in the bottom of the bottom section for containing a row of tablets for gravity feed in succession to said rear opening when said container is tilted and the cover is closed, said groove terminating at the pocket above the bottom of said pocket to facilitate gravity feed of the tablets through said rear opening.

3. A tablet dispensing container according to claim 1 including a longitudinal magazine groove in the bottom of said bottom section extending to said pocket for containing a row of tablets for gravity feed in succession to said rear opening when the container is tilted, and a pair of longitudinal ledges in said bottom section on opposite sides of said groove for containing tablets for displacement off said ledges into said groove by shaking of said container, said ledges inclining laterally downwardly from said groove to check sliding of the tablets oif the ledges into the groove during the dispensing operation.

4. A tablet dispensing container according to claim 1 including a longitudinal magazine groove in the bottom of said bottom section extending to said pocket for containing a row of tablets for gravity feed in succession to said rear opening when the container is tilted, and a guard plate in said bottom section overlying a part of said groove to retain the tablets in said part and provide for tablets entering the other part of the groove.

5. A tablet dispensing container according to claim 1 wherein said elevator is provided with a rear wall below said rear Iopening preventing passing of tablets in said fbottom section through said rear opening when said platform is moved outwardly of said bottom section.

6. A tablet dispensing container having a dispensing end for discharging tablets by gravity when the container is tilted by hand to lower said end, said container comprising a bottom section having a surrounding wall, a cover section having a surrounding iiange fitting over said wall, means pivotally connecting said flange to said wall for tilting of said cover section on said wall in opposite directions, respectively, said flange having a tablet discharge opening therein at said dispensing end of the container closed by said wall upon tilting of said cover section in one direction and Iopened by tilting of the cover section in the opposite direction, and a tablet elevating platform spaced from and secured to said cover section adjacent said opening for movement inwardly and outwardly of the bottom section by tilting of said cover section in opposite directions to pick up and lift a tablet out of said bottom section for discharge through said opening, said platform having a rear opening for passing a tablet in said bottom section onto the platform and also having a front opening in line with the discharge opening for passing the tablet oif the platform to the. discharge opening, said bottom section including a longitudinal magazine groove in the bottom thereof extending to said rear opening for containing a row of tablets for gravity feed in succession to said rear opening when the container is tilted, said groove being provided with slanting bottom sections for retarding gravity feed of the tablets therein to reduce abrasive action against the tablets, said slanting sections being joined by an angular stop wall preventing reverse feed of the tablets in said groove.

ROBERT E. AGGSON.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 541,767 Lloyd June 25, 1895 828,151 Upjohn Aug. 7, 1906 2,219,487 Nyden Oct. 29, 1940 2,271,630 Dahlgren Feb. 3, 1942 2,472,871 Williamson June 14, 1949 2,492,864 Hermani Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 58,291 Denmark Dec. 30, 1940 

